Bay City Mayor Chris Shannon said he expects his Bay City Commission to begin forming an executive committee that will decide who could replace Belleman if he departs.

“It would be prudent to be proactive,” Shannon said.

The mayor said he’s already begun early measures in preparation for the potential vacancy of Bay City’s top unelected post.

His groundwork included reaching out to officials who could replace Belleman on an interim or full-time basis.

Shannon also speculated about in-house employees who could move up. His lineup includes Clerk Dana Muscott, also the deputy city manager; Police Chief Michael Cecchini; and Finance Director Michael Regulski.

Mayor Chris Shannon

Shannon said he’s reached out to the Michigan Municipal League, a nonprofit organization that supports municipalities, for potential replacement managers.

The mayor said the organization has a roster of individuals — largely retired community leaders — on standby for temporary positions.

Shannon said he’s reached out to a number of those candidates via telephone and email.

“They’re generally people that are retired and have served as lifelong in a municipal capacity,” he said. “Many of them are acting as consultants.”

He said most of those individuals aren’t names that would be recognized by most in the Great Lakes Bay. One exception, Shannon said, is retired Midland County Controller David Benda.

Benda served in that role from 1999 to 2009.

Shannon addressed another possibility: That the Bay City Commission could provide a counter-offer to any potential Saginaw County contract extended to Belleman.